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Fatherhood is tugging at Bubba Watson more than the desire to tackle the TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium Course.

Watson, who won the Masters last month in dramatic fashion in a playoff with Louis Oosthuizen, used Twitter Thursday to inform fans and the media that he is taking at least a month off the PGA Tour to be with his wife Angie and their son Caleb, who they adopted near the end of March from “Chicks in Crisis,” a woman’s health and adoption agency based in California.

Watson’s time frame obviously includes next week’s Players Championship, where he has had limited success. Watson has made two cuts in five starts, tying for 45th last year and tying for 37th in 2009.

The fourth-ranked player in the world apologized to fans and explained in a series of tweets that being with his wife and son at a home they have rented in Orlando took precedence over golf. Watson has played only once since the Masters, defending his championship with a tie for 18th last week at the Zurich Classic, and had also withdrawn from this week’s Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, N.C.

“I need to spend more time with Caleb and Angie ... plan to take at least a month off,” Watson said in his first tweet.

In another subsequent tweet, Watson said: “The Players is one of the best weeks of the year but bonding with my son and wife is what it is all about right now.”

Watson’s exit from the field means The Players will not have the last two Masters champions next week.

Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 winner at the Augusta National Golf Club and the 12th-ranked player in the world, informed the PGA Tour last week that he will remain at his home in South Africa to continue a family vacation. He has until 5 p.m. today to commit but Martin Hardy of International Sports Management, Schwartzel’s agency, said that to the best of his knowledge, Schwartzel has not changed his mind.

If losing the last two winners at Augusta National wasn’t all, the Tour also was informed Thursday that five-time winner Dustin Johnson, ranked 17th in the world, would be unable to play next week because of continued back problems that had forced him to withdraw from the Masters.

“Obviously, I am very disappointed to miss The Players Championship, as it’s our championship and a special week,” Johnson said in a statement.

Other injured players possibly in doubt for next week include 16th-ranked Jason Day (shoulder) and No. 68 Gary Woodland (wrist). Both players withdrew from the Masters after the tournament began. Day only returned to action this week.

“We respect Bubba’s decision in light of the unique and life-changing circumstances of the past month,” Votaw said. “His focus on his family is admirable, as was his decision to honor his commitment to the Zurich Classic of New Orleans as defending champion.”

Watson’s free-wheeling ways on the golf course and his singular personality have made him a fan and media darling since he won the Masters.

He appeared on CNN, David Letterman and Charlie Rose in the days after his Masters victory and is on the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated Players Championshi*****ue.

The Players field still includes the three players ranked ahead of Watson, Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood, plus Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and defending champion K.J. Choi.

Watson took note of that with one tweet.

“The Players has one of the best fields all year ... tourney is more than fine without me,” he said.

Wow, Like they dont have trouble getting people to the players already. No Masters champ to see live and in person. Major disappointment.
Still good for golf? no golf lessons in his life? general lee? Skipping the players, I guess it is not as major as PGA Tour thinks it is.

When every golf course charges only $20 for golf then I will believe he will have made an impact.